Film on your tea? Tips to avoid the calcium-caused haze
You leave a cup of tea for a few minutes, come back, and see an unsightly film? This scenario doesn't happen just to you. It's a natural reaction that results from the properties of tea, so there's no need to worry. The film isn't harmful, but if you want to avoid it, you can try three practical tips.
Leaving tea in a cup for a few minutes after brewing can lead to an unsightly film. This phenomenon is caused by a chemical reaction between oxalates present in tea and calcium from the water. This is what leads to the characteristic film on the surface of the hot drink. Although visually unattractive, this phenomenon isn't harmful to health.
Film on tea due to the presence of polyphenols
Some researchers suggest that this film may result from the presence of polyphenols in tea leaves. There are theories that the more polyphenols, the greater the risk of film formation. However, paradoxically, the amount of polyphenols indicates the high quality of tea because these are antioxidant compounds beneficial to health.
Green and white teas, which are minimally processed, contain the most polyphenols. There are slightly fewer in black tea because they are lost in the leaf oxidation process. A large amount of polyphenols can be found in Chinese fermented pu-erh tea, which can also help with weight loss.
How to avoid film on tea?
You can avoid unwanted film by filtering the water before boiling it. The presence of a large amount of calcium, which occurs in hard water, is responsible for the film. In this case, filtering is an effective solution. You can also use spring water for brewing tea, which reduces the chances of film formation.
Hard water not only affects the appearance of tea but also its taste. Therefore, it might be worth considering changing your habits. Spring or filtered water will make the drink more delicate, and its aroma much fuller.
